It’s important, when the time is right for you, to share your story with others. Here’s a sample of a few of the books and personal essays written about what it’s like to be homosexual and Mormon.

— Books —

Born That Way? — Deseret Bookby “Erin Elderidge”
“Erin’s story is not intended for those who wish to remain in homosexual relationships. As she says,”This book cannot change minds and does not attempt to. This book is for those who believe, somewhere deep within, that homosexual behavior is sin and should be overcome.”Born That Way? testifies of the power of Jesus to heal us of our infirmities, regardless of their type. And it describes how embracing the gospel can result in a change of heart and a rebirth—even from a force as powerful as same-sex attraction.”

No More Goodbyes – Circling the Wagons Around Our Gay Loved Ones — Pivot Point Booksby Carol Lynn Pearson (author and editor)
“No More Goodbyes, deals with enlightening and inspirational stories of gay Mormons (and those of other faiths) coping with issues of family, religion, church, and occasionally suicide. Carol Lynn Pearson is the obvious person to write this book. The story of her marriage to a gay Mormon man was captivatingly told twenty years ago in her best-selling book, Goodbye, I Love You. Since then she has had the experience of being the mother-in-law to a gay man and listening to hundreds of stories dealing with the issues of being a gay Christian and particularly a gay Mormon (as well as those associated with other world religions).”

In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction — Deseret Bookby Ty Mansfield and Fred & Marylin Matis
“In an effort to help Latter-day Saints understand and reach out to those who suffer from this difficulty, Fred and Marilyn Matis discuss how they’ve dealt with the knowledge of their son Stuart’s challenge with same-gender attraction, and how parents and others can reach out with love. In addition, Ty Mansfield discusses his own challenge and how he continues to go forward with faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Peculiar People: Mormons and Same Sex Orientation — Signature Booksby Ron Schow, Wayne Schow, and Marybeth Raynes (editors)
“In Peculiar People, a wealth of resources chronicles the successes and failures of contemporary LDS homosexuals. Those who have chosen celibacy are occasionally admitted into full church fellowship. Others, fearing censure and humiliation, conceal their orientation. But many, perhaps a majority, have decided that they “will not go where they are not welcome” and drift away from the Mormon community that once nurtured them.”

Gay Mormons?: Latter-day Saint Experiences of Same-Gender Attraction — Kirby Pressby Brent Kirby (editor)
“What is it like to be a Mormon who is attracted to the same gender rather than the opposite gender? In this book, thirty-seven individuals share their personal experiences, offering a window into these complex questions. The intense despair felt by gay and lesbian Mormon youth poses a significant challenge to their families, teachers, and ecclesiastical leaders who love them but who may be unaware of their difficulties or uncertain of how to help. These youth are often among the most devoted to their faith. The accounts in this book offer hope and inspiration to those who wish to create a brighter future for their families and communities.”

Voices of Hope — Deseret Bookby Ty Mansfield (complier)
“An invaluable resource on the topic of same-gender attraction, this unique volume includes six plenary chapters features notable authors and gospel scholars: Brad Wilcox, M. Catherine Thomas, Camille Fronk Olson, Wendy Ulrich, Robert L. Millet, and Michael Goodman. In addition, each chapter includes personal essays or first-person stories of faith and commitment from Latter-day Saints who have dealt with same-gender attraction.”

Dear Mr. Stephens: Letters of Love and of Hopeby Andy Fernuik
“Homosexuality and Faith… the world holds troves of keys, ready to unlock the universal mysteries now dividing families and nations. Spiritual genocide consumes contemporary religion and decimates young lives. Despair and suicide are not the answer. The words and promises of ancient prophets are fulfilling now, including all genders and sexual identities. As a young, gay Latter-day Saint, Andy Fernuik shares his love, his hope, and his beautiful paradox of same-gender attraction and faith in a loving, eternal God.”

Goodbye, I Love You — Cedar Fort Inc.by Carol Lynn Pearson
“The true story of a wife, her homosexual husband, and a love that transcended tragedy. Gerald Pearson had been honest with Carol Lynn about his homosexual past, but both of them had faith that marriage and devotion to their religion would change his orientation. Love would conquer all. Then, after eight years of apparent happiness and the birth of four children, Gerald was no longer able to deny what he considered to be his essential self. Carol Lynn was shattered, her self-esteem all but destroyed. Their divorce, however, could not erase a lifetime of love and mutual support. Carol Lynn courageously stood by her former husband’s side. Even when he contracted AIDS – and came home to die.”

— Essays —

A GAY MORMON’S TESTIMONY by John Donald Gustav-Wrathall
“I would love to stand up in testimony meeting in my ward. I guess, technically, it’s not my ward, though. I was excommunicated in 1986, at my own request. WhenI made that request, I was humiliated, defeated, and angry. I had almost not survived the summer. I let go of my suicide plans after God spoke to me, reminding me that he knew me from “my inward parts” (Psalm 139, RSV), and that he accepted me and loved me. But my relationship with the Church was fatally wounded. I felt betrayed and abandoned by my LDS leaders. It occurred to me that my almost-suicide would have been what the Church wanted me as a gay man to do all along: just die, disappear, go away. Stop being a problem…”